Dolphin Pose is a highly versatile yoga posture that benefits your mind, body, and spirit. This pose combines both opening and strengthening elements for the upper body, making it an excellent choice as a preparatory posture for more advanced inversions or a suitable alternative when you're not yet ready to take your legs above your head.
One of the great things about Dolphin Pose is that it can be easily modified to suit your needs and abilities. For example, you can use a yoga block to support your head and neck if you have tight shoulders or neck pain. You can also vary the time you hold the posture or the number of repetitions you do to suit your fitness level and goals.
Step-By-Step Guide To Perform Dolphin Pose
- Begin by assuming a tabletop position on the floor or yoga mat, with your hands and knees supporting you.
- Ensure that your knees are directly beneath the hips and your forearms rest on the mat, aligning your shoulders directly above your wrists. Firmly press your palms together and firmly anchor your forearms into the mat.
- Now, tuck your toes under and raise your knees as you exhale. Initially, maintain a slight bend in your knees and lift your heels slightly away from the floor. Your body should form an inverted "V" shape.
- As you do this, elongate your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and gently direct it towards your pubic bone.
- Simultaneously, lift your sitting bones towards the ceiling and draw your inner legs up towards your groin.
- Press your forearms actively into the mat, creating a stable base. Engage your shoulder blades by drawing them towards your back, then broaden them away from your spine while guiding them towards your tailbone.
- Position your head between your upper arms, ensuring it doesn't hang heavily or press excessively into the floor.
- You can straighten your knees, but be cautious; keeping them slightly bent is better.
- Continue to extend your tailbone away from your pelvis and lift the upper part of your sternum away from the floor.
- Hold this pose for a duration of 30 seconds to one minute. To release, exhale, and gently lower your knees to the floor.
Benefits Of Dolphin Pose
Dolphin Pose, also known as "Ardha Pincha Mayurasana," is a yoga type that offers numerous benefits and is accessible to practitioners of various levels. Here are some key aspects of Dolphin Pose, along with its advantages:
- Promotes mental calmness and eases stress and mild depression.
- Provides a deep stretch to the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and arches of the feet.
- Enhances arm and leg strength.
- It can alleviate menopausal symptoms.
- Offers relief from menstrual discomfort when performed with head support.
- Contributes to the prevention of osteoporosis.
- Aids in digestion improvement.
- Alleviates headaches, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue.
- It has therapeutic potential for managing high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, and sciatic issues.
Tips for Beginners
If you are new to Dolphin Pose, consider these tips to make the practice more accessible and effective:
- Keeping your knees slightly bent in Dolphin Pose is okay if you're a beginner or have tight hamstrings. Cushion your knees with Basaho’s Meditation cushion to perform the Dolphin pose comfortably.
- Avoid sinking into your shoulders or letting your elbows splay outwards. Keep your shoulder blades engaged and draw them towards each other.
- If you're working on building strength for inversions, practice Dolphin Pose regularly to develop shoulder and core stability.
Dolphin Pose With Props
Proper shoulders, elbows, and forearm alignment are essential in this pose. The use of props can be beneficial to ease into the posture and ensure correct form. Here's how you can use props effectively:
- Start by creating a yoga strap loop and securing it around your upper arms. Adjust the strap's tension until you can press outward against it without allowing your arms to extend wider than your shoulder width.
- Next, place a yoga block horizontally on the mat before you. Position your hands on each side of the block, allowing your elbows to lower gently to the mat.
- Lift your hips off the ground to come into the pose, creating the shape of a Dolphin Pose. As you do this, press your torso towards your legs while keeping the strap's tension and maintaining the alignment of your shoulders, elbows, and forearms.
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Conclusion
By incorporating Dolphin Pose into your yoga routine, you can expect to experience increased flexibility in your spine and shoulders, enhanced upper body strength, and a greater sense of stability in bearing weight on your hands and forearms. These benefits extend beyond the yoga mat, contributing to improved posture, reduced stress, and increased overall well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Should Avoid Dolphin Pose?
Those with recent or chronic shoulder, arm, or neck injuries should avoid this pose. Also, individuals with high blood pressure should practice this pose cautiously and perhaps with the head supported.
Can Dolphin Pose Help With Headaches?
In some cases, the pose can alleviate tension headaches due to its calming effect and how it stretches the neck and shoulders. However, consult a healthcare provider if your headache is due to high blood pressure or another health issue.
How Does Dolphin Pose Compare To Downward Facing Dog?
Dolphin Pose is often considered a more challenging variant of Downward Facing Dog. It places more weight on the upper body, particularly the arms and shoulders, making it a great strength-building exercise. Unlike Downward Facing Dog, which is done on the hands, Dolphin Pose is performed on the forearms, increasing the challenge to the core and upper body.